Breaking Dead
by rhaegars
Summary: Jesse Pinkman had a rough life before the undead were trying to kill him, now he's just trying to survive and find himself along the way.
1. Chapter 1

_I watched Jane die. I could have saved her._

"Die, bitch!" Jesse yelled as he hit the corpse in the head with his already bloody baseball bat.

The corpse shared a striking resemblance to Mr. White, an ugly ass bald head and broken glasses. He had shards of glass in his glossy eyes. The corpse was also wearing an outfit that looked like something Mr. White would wear.

But he was dead. Everyone was fucking dead. His family, his friends, everyone he'd ever known was just dead.

Jesse had been living in Georgia for a good year, that's where he'd run off to after Mr. White had saved his life.

As much as he hated Mr. White, he couldn't say that he hadn't saved him.

"You good?" The dirty redneck asked him, staring at him with a blank face.

Jesse knew he looked crazed, he felt crazy.

"Yeah."

"Good, lets go. Merle is waiting on us." Daryl said impatiently.

"Yup."

Jesse had somehow found himself with two redneck brothers when the world went to shit. He had sold drugs to the older brother, and they both had sometimes come over Jesse's place to chill when Merle got high.

Jesse hadn't gotten high in a very long time. He wanted to, after that one night. But he didn't. He'd occasionally smoke weed every once in a while.. Well, he did. Now the only thing that really mattered was surviving.

"Damn, baby brother, I was starting to think tweaker got you killed." Merle said with a grin.

"Yo, quit calling me tweaker." Jesse said rolling his eyes.

He was exhausted. He hadn't slept in two days. He couldn't sleep.

"Trip to Atlanta shouldn't take that much longer." Daryl said ignoring both of them.

"How do we even know this place is safe? What if they're all dead?" Jesse asked rubbing his temples.

"Have some hope, tweaker." Merle laughed.

"Yo bitch, call me tweaker one more time."

"And what? You'll threaten to kill me? Remember what happened last time?" Merle laughed even harder then.

Once Jesse had threatened to kill Merle, he put the gun right to his head. Everyone started yelling, Daryl tried to intervene and take the gun and Jesse punched him in the gut.

Daryl puked all over his floor and they all laughed their asses off.

Jesse had almost killed Merle because he made fun of his favorite cartoon. It was the fact that Merle wouldn't let up, he had come to realize he was always like that.

He didn't know how he found himself with these guys but he was glad he did. They were survivors.

"I got a couple squirrels to eat." Daryl said chucking one at him and Merle.

"Yum. My favorite meal." Jesse said sarcastically.

"You don't want it, don't fucking eat it." Daryl stated solemnly.

"Chill yo."

Jesse was too tired to argue with anyone right now. He just wanted to close his eyes for a few days.

"After this meal it's a straight drive to Atlanta." Merle said in between bites.

Jesse barley ate his squirrel and regretted leaving it on the rock he was sitting on once the truck started moving. Daryl and him were following Merle on his motorcycle.

Daryl didn't make conversation and Jesse didn't mind, he enjoyed the silence.

After about 10 minutes of driving, Jesse drifted away, dreaming of a universe where the world hadn't gone to shit and he was playing video games with Andrea and Brock.

**Authors note: This story will only feature the Dixon bros from the TWD storyline. Other characters may pop up from time to time but will not play a big role in this. It is my own story, but AMC owns the characters. Enjoy. **


	2. Chapter 2

"Wake up, Jesse. We got a problem." Daryl's aggressive tone woke him up almost instantly.

"What happened?" Jesse shot up, looking around him wildly, putting his hand on his baseball bat for security.

"Atlanta ain't safe no more."

Jesse could see that. They were on a highway with a shit ton of abandoned cars and you could see Atlanta on the horizon.. It looked like it was on fire.

A loud knock came from the back of the truck and Jesse jumped.

"Just Merle." Daryl grunted.

"Let's go, time to raid these cars for supplies!"

Jesse kept close to the truck while raiding, he found two packs of cigarettes, a whole case of bottled water, a bag of chips, and a first aid kit. He packed it all up into Daryl's truck and lit a smoke when he was done.

Daryl was siphoning gas and Merle was getting high on the blue.

Fucking junkie.

Daryl was nothing like his brother. The guy had probably never even smoked weed before. He definitely wasn't as much of an asshole as Merle, but he could be if he wanted.

"Merle, you really gotta get high right now? Can't wait until we make camp somewhere?" Daryl asked after throwing a full gas jug in the back of his truck.

"You're gonna put my motorcycle in the bed of your shit lift and I'm gonna ride with you and tweaker."

Daryl scoffed and gestured for Jesse to give him a hand with Merle's bike.

"Where are we gonna stay tonight?" Jesse asked after tightening the last latch on Merle's bike.

"Dunno. Somewhere." Daryl answered shortly.

Merle was laying on top of a mini van, high out of his mind when Daryl and Jesse found him. It took at least 10 minutes to drag him back to the truck. He couldn't stop stumbling, he couldn't even form coherent words.

"The first house we see, we take out the dead and hold up there until morning." Daryl spoke to him in an annoyed voice.

Jesse looked in the bed of the truck, Merle was passed out lying in front of his bike.

"Ya shouldn't of gave him any of that fucking meth. Not at a time like this."

He had no choice.

"I'd be dead if it wasn't for my meth."

It was his now since the creator was dead, he was next in line.

"Ain't that the damn truth, you wouldn't survive out here on your own for a goddamn minute."

Jesse was okay with Daryl getting aggressive with him. He could tolerate it, unlike Merle. Merle only made Jesse angry.

Jesse felt a connection with Daryl, he felt like deep down, behind all the walls, Daryl was just like him in a way. There was just a sense of familiarity he couldn't shake off.

Jesse probably wasn't as strong as Daryl, or as quick witted as him, but he was sure they'd both been through traumatic experiences, giving him the safe connection he felt. He wouldn't have to worry about Daryl trying to kill him.. Unless Jesse tried to kill Merle again.

"That looks like as good a place as any, yo." Jesse pointed out the small house on the left side of the road, it was sitting right beside its own little pond, with a tree in the front yard that had a tire swing attached to it.

Daryl pulled into the driveway, hitting a pothole and waking Merle up in the process.

"What the fuck! Ya drive like a goddamn woman sometimes, Darlina!" Merle shouted from the bed of the truck.

Daryl ignored his brother and gripped the steering wheel.

Jesse wondered if Daryl had ever snapped and tried to punch Merle in the face.

"You're coming inside with me, he's probably still high off his ass." Daryl growled at him. "Your gun still loaded?"

"Yeah." Jesse answered, lifting his shirt to grab his gun.

"Just turn the safety off just incase we run into trouble."

Daryl readied his crossbow while Jesse opened the door. He realized that they should have been better prepared because a corpse came right out the door as soon as opened it.

"Goddamn it."

Daryl shot it in the eye and Jesse whacked it in the head for good measure.

"Keep an eye out for more of these dead dumb bastards."

Jesse held his gun, ready to shoot at any moment. He was checking the upstairs while Daryl checked downstairs.

Every room was cleared except for the one at the end of the hall, when he tried to open it, it wouldn't budge. He guessed there was a dresser or bed blocking it from the inside.

He ran downstairs and grabbed his baseball bat that sat next to the front door, as he went back up the stairs he realized Daryl was following him up.

"You all good?"

"Yeah, there's just one room I can't get into.."

Daryl was about to say something else until Jesse started whacking and breaking the door with his baseball bat.

"What the fuck!" Daryl exclaimed, staring at Jesse in shock.

Jesse looked at him and grinned.

"Gotta make sure it's all clear right?"

He broke through the door and looked through the hole he had made and heard the cock of a gun as soon as he saw the gun, and the person holding it.

"Jesse..." Daryl barely whispered.

"Ya better leave here now! My daddy will kill you if you don't!" A shaky voice said from inside.

It was a girl.. And she would have killed him if Daryl hadn't knocked Jesse to the ground.


	3. Chapter 3

"I said ya better leave! I'll shoot again!" The girl yelled in a trembling voice.

Jesse's heart was racing, Daryl was speaking to him but he couldn't hear what he was saying.

Daryl smacked Jesse upside the head and Jesse came to his senses.

"Listen, we ain't here to hurt ya." Daryl said trying to calm the girl down. "I don't know where your dad is but there ain't no one here but you and us."

"I-I-." The girl stuttered, "My daddy should be downstairs, he told me it would be okay and to stay in my room and that people were coming to help us."

She sounded scared.

"Ain't no one coming to help, princess." Daryl answered in a rough voice.

Jesse expected her to start screaming or popping off rounds again but she just started to sob.

Daryl looked at him, giving him a "what the fuck" expression.

"We can help." Jesse said all of a sudden. "Don't shoot, we can protect you."

Daryl released an annoyed sigh.

Jesse stood and looked through the hole. The girl had dropped her gun and held her face in her hands, her long brown hair flowing around her.

"You can deal with this, she shoots again and I won't be here to save your ass this time.. I'm going to get Merle."

As Daryl walked down the stairs, Jesse tried to speak to the girl again.

"What's your name? I'm Jesse."

She looked up then, she had tears streaming down her face.

Jesse almost smiled at her but she reached for her gun.

"No, no, no! I'm not gonna hurt you!"

"Ya even think about trying anything stupid and I'll shoot ya in the head so quick." She said glaring at him. "You and your friend can sleep downstairs in the living room for one night. Y'all are gone come the morning. Ya best hope my daddy don't come back while you're sleeping."

"Okay.. Okay, thanks." Jesse grabbed his bat and rushed down the stairs.

He saw Daryl as soon as he reached the bottom.

"She good?"

"Yeah.. Yeah, she said we can stay the night."

"I think her dad was that dead bastard that came at us when we came in this place. He was the only one we found."

Jesse nodded his head. He was still shaken up about almost getting shot.

"Well, Merle's on the couch. He's knocked out for the night. I'm gonna grab some shit from the truck and stay up so that girl don't try killing us in our sleep.. You can get some rest, seem like ya need it." Daryl said to him with a look that almost seemed like concern, but he quickly masked it.

"Yeah, sure." Jesse answered in a dead tone.

He found a room downstairs and fell into the bed, sleep was the best thing in his life at that moment.

Jesse woke with a start. The sound of yelling and banging confused and scared him.

He thought about staying in the room but decided against it, he left his bat on the bed and turned the safety off his gun once more.

As he entered the living room, he saw that Merle was up and the girl was downstairs.

She was pretty small and short for someone so loud and angry, it was a shock she could even be so aggressive. She wasn't young though, she looked to be Jesse's age.

The girl looked like she was going to rip Merle's head off with her bare hands, if she had her gun they would probably all be dead, but Merle was holding it above her head.

Daryl was behind her, aiming his crossbow at the girl.

"Woah, I think everybody needs to relax." Jesse grumbled.

"Looky here, tweaker finally decided to wake up."

"I told ya, y'all could stay until morning, it's time for you to go. I want my gun back. My daddy will kill all of you!" The girl was shaking as she spoke.

"Your damn daddy ain't coming back, darlin'. He's dead. Sitting right outside your front door, my baby brother here shot him in the head with that crossbow of his and if ya don't calm down, he's gonna do the same to you."

Jesse watched the girls world burn before his eyes. He felt like punching Merle.

"My daddy ain't dead. You're lying. You're a fucking liar!" She screamed.

She swung at him then, she hit Merle right in the jaw.

Jesse ran to her then to pull her away, hoping Daryl wouldn't try to shoot either of them. He grabbed her and brought her to the ground with him as gently as she could, holding her arms behind her back.

Merle was laughing, "You're a feisty little bitch, you know that? You're pretty cute though.." He said eyeballing her then.

"Burn in hell." She spat at him.

"Find any food in this shithole, Daryl? I'm ready for breakfast." Merle left the room then, searching the house.

"Jesse, deal with her or Merle will." Daryl said before following his brother out of the room.

"What did he mean?" The girl asked in a small voice.

"Don't worry about it, I won't let Merle do anything to you."

"No. He said my daddy was dead. He said that he was dead outside the front door.."

"When we came in, a corpse came at us.." Jesse swallowed, hoping he was choosing the right words to say, "He was the only thing we found in here other than you.."

The girl broke down then and he held her arms awkwardly while she did so, just to make sure she didn't lash out again.

After a few minutes of this, she spoke again through her cries, "He got bit, but he said he was fine, he said he'd be okay. He told me to barricade myself in my room and not come out until people came to save us. He gave me his gun and told me it would be okay."

"I'm sorry." Was all Jesse could say to her.

After about ten more minutes, she began to calm down.

"Can ya let go of me now?" She asked calmly.

"You gonna try anything stupid?"

She didn't say anything.

"What's your name? Tell me and I'll let go of you." Jesse said and attempted a smile, even though she couldn't see it.

After a minute or so, she finally answered, "Lily."


	4. Chapter 4

Jesse let go of Lily's arms and she stood up. Before Jesse could do the same, Lily put her foot on his leg.

"Ya ever put your hands on me again, and I'll break your arms."

Jesse put his hands up as if he were surrendering. "No worries, yo."

"You ain't from around here." It wasn't a question.

"I'm from New Mexico, I moved to Blue Ridge about a year ago." Jesse answered. Lily had taken her foot off his leg and he stood up.

He noticed that she had brown eyes and a few freckles.

"What the hell are you looking at?" She asked, seemingly annoyed.

"Uh, nothing." Jesse looked away quickly.

"Where are y'all heading? You must be lost if your from Blue Ridge, that's up in the mountains ain't it?"

"Yeah, we came to Atlanta for the safe zone but.."

"Ain't no one there. I could have told you that. That's how my daddy got bit, trying to get into that damn city for help." Lily said, putting her hands on her hips while looking Jesse up and down.

"You good, princess? Or am I gonna have to tie you up?"

Lily's body tensed as Merle spoke.

"Don't be scared, darlin'. I won't bite unless ya ask."

"Lay off, yo. She's good." Jesse said throwing a glare in Merle's direction.

"Who the fuck asked you, tweaker?" Merle brushed him off.

"So, what are we gonna do with ya?" Merle asked stepping closer to Lily. "Seems to me we got three options."

"Ya and what are these three options?" Lily asked while standing up straight.

"Well, we could kill ya. Just leave ya here to rot."

"Merle-"

"Shut your mouth, boy." Merle barked at Jesse.

"Option two, we take ya with us. Look after you, keep ya safe and fed. My baby brother is a hunter, we could get all the meat we can find. I sure as hell bet you ain't had a good meal in a few weeks."

"And option three?" Lily asked quietly.

"We leave ya here, let you try your luck on your own. Might as well be the same as option one."

Lily stood still and silent for a couple minutes, looking back and forth between Jesse and Merle.

"I'll go with y'all until we find a safe camp, then I'll be out of your hair. But I want my gun back."

"Do you even know how to work the damn thing, sugar?" Merle asked with a smirk.

"I almost killed him until your brother pushed him out of the way." Lily said pointing at Jesse.

"Now why would ya save his ass, Darlina?!" Merle yelled out to Daryl.

No answer.

"Daryl!" Merle called out again, leaving the living room and going into the kitchen.

Jesse and Lily followed.

Daryl was sitting at the kitchen table looking over a map while shoving chips in his mouth.

"You answer me when I call for you dammit." Merle said aggravated.

"You were asking stupid questions." Daryl said with a grunt.

"The fuck you say to me, I'll-" Merle started to say until Lily jumped in.

"Where ya guys heading?" She asked looking at Daryl.

"Don't know yet. Wherever we head."

"Y'all are sure as hell men with a plan.."

"You got any bright ideas girl?" Daryl asked, taking his eyes away from the map.

"Yeah. Fort Benning. Ain't no better place to go." Lily said, seemingly satisfied with herself.

They all looked at each other and silently agreed that Fort Benning would be their destination.

"I saw we stay here one more night." Jesse said suddenly. "Daryl, you should sleep. I'll keep watch."

"Like hell we're gonna leave you to stand gaurd!" Merle shouted, bemused by the idea.

"Well I ain't going to sleep so-" Lily started to say.

"Oh, so we're supposed to let tweaker and princess keep an eye out while we sleep, I feel safe as hell already." Merle scoffed. "I bet ya'll will be bumpin' uglies before we even lie down."

Lily laughed.

"What's so funny?" Daryl asked Lily, rolling up the map and setting his crossbow down on the table.

"Ya'll are something else. I hope your survival tactics are better than your first impressions."

Daryl grunted and left the room, with a bitching Merle on his heel.

"So-" Jesse began to say

"No."

"No, what?" Jesse asked looking at Lily.

He realized after a moment that he couldn't take his eyes off her, she was kind of pretty for being so violent.

"I'm not having sex with you."

Jesse was confused for a moment until he remembered what Merle had just said.

"No! I wasn't going to say- I meant- We should- Uh.." Jesse couldn't even remember what he wanted to say moments ago, he felt the heat creeping to his face.

"Damn, you're sure easy to embarrass." Lily said with a smile, but it quickly faded. "I'm going up to my room for a bit, I'm sure you can man the fort down here until I'm ready to come back down."

She left without another word and Jesse stood there speechless scratching his head.


End file.
